The January Blues!

I read the following comment in the ‘The Guardian’ newspaper quite a while ago - ‘The  dilemma, I’m 22 years old and going into my fourth year in medical school. I have been using study to escape loneliness, insecurity and anxiety that arose from the stress of the course and my failure to establish friends’.

Another person wrote in The Telegraph “‘Life looks good on the surface - so why are we all so lonely?  ‘But you can’t be lonely,’ a friend tells me crossly. ‘You’re out  every night.’ The backhanded compliment makes me laugh. But it also makes me sad. On paper my life sounds glamorous. Denying  you  feel  lonely  makes no  more  sense  than  denying you  feel  hunger’” These are the comments of a high profile journalist who looks as if she is living the high life but most certainly doesn’t feel as if she is.

A new  national  commission  investigating loneliness  in  the  UK,  launched  in  January 2020, shows  that  a  fifth  of  the  population privately  admits  they  are  ‘always  or  often lonely’.  But  two-thirds  of  those people would never  confess  to  having  a  problem  in public. Here is the problem - loneliness is the devastating unseen result of the pressures and emptiness of modern life when people live devoid of real purpose and meaning.

Without Christ, Christmas is nothing!

If there is no Christ - there is no Christmas! Which is why are Christians are so convinced that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Why you might ask, it's an excellent question.

Our belief is laid on a very solid foundation. First of all we believe in divine revelation not just human discovery. In fact to learn about something outside of our sphere of experience we all accept we need information from a trustworthy source. If you are serious about discovering the truth - check the Bible out. It is a trustworthy source. Read it, check it's sources, speak to those who believe it, look at it 's accuracy in every sphere it touches. There can only be one answer to the question of the origin of a book that was written over one thousand five hundred years by forty different authors, many of whom did not even know each other. The Bible is God's message to mankind.

Who would you like to spend a day with?

Think about the things we do everyday—go to work, spend time with our family, eat, or maybe watch TV. Whether it’s helping others or getting rest, we find value in all of these things. But do we see value in spending time with our Creator? God created us to spend time with Him. By doing so, we are honouring Him, helping others, and getting spiritual rest and peace.

20% of people in the UK admit to loneliness!

I discovered recently that ‘1 A national commission investigating loneliness in the UK in January 2017 showed that a fifth of the population privately admits they are "always or often lonely”’.

Herbert Van Zeller, 1905-1984, once wrote ‘the soul hardly ever realises it, but whether he is believer or not, his loneliness is really a homesickness for God’. That’s quite a statement. Loneliness is deeper than a lack of company and it affects people in all stages of life.

What if the death of Jesus was actually for you?

All Photos courtesy of Unsplash

8th May 2020 marked the seventy-fifth anniversary of ‘VE Day’, when World War Two ceased in Europe. It was a good day for the civilian people of that continent. All, whether on the winning or the losing side, were relieved that the bombing was over, that their loved ones who had gone off to fight and had survived would be returning home, and that the privations they had endured for years would begin to recede.

Self deception - this is an unbelievable story!

Have you heard the story of the bank robber named McArthur Wheeler in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who was told that if he rubbed lemon juice on his face, he wouldn’t need to use a mask to avoid detection, because his face would be invisible to the cameras? This is not a joke it’s true! He bought a Polaroid camera and a couple of lemons, squeezed them and applied the juice to his face. He then pointed the camera at his face and clicked, rotated the camera and clicked. What he finished up with was a photo of the ceiling but no image of his face and fully believed that the lemon juice did the trick.

No room for Jesus

I wonder if you have ever thought about how unpopular Jesus was in his day. The impression we get at times is that he was loved by everyone right up until his rejection by the Jewish authorities, his prosecution by the Roman authorities and his ultimate death of crucifixion.

From the early days of his time on earth the Lord Jesus was excluded and rejected. 

There is quite a considerable period (from age 12-30) where we have very little information about the behaviour and activities of the Lord Jesus but we do have the commentary of God, the Father, when he publicly spoke from heaven (which was a very unusual thing to do) and said the he was delighted with His Son. 

Choices have consequences

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

We all face choices every day, from the trivial things of what to wear and what to eat, to the choices that are life changing that come along from time to time. Some people find these choices relatively easy while others agonise over these choices for an exceptionally long time.

When I was about 10 years old, I faced a choice that sticks in my mind. Earlier that day my mother had told me that I had to be home by 8 o’clock – without fail. As I say the words, they ring in my ears some 37 years later.

Men who want to be God v God who became man

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

History is replete with men who strived to be recognized as God. The ultimate power sought by many is to rule over other men and women and be worshipped by them. 

Before Jesus had reached His second birthday, He had already become the target of an assassination plot by King Herod, the ruthless and paranoid ruler of Roman-controlled Judea. Joseph and Mary, prompted by a dream from God, took the baby and fled to Egypt.

Egypt's history was one proud and glorious procession of kings spanning thirty dynasties and nearly 3,000 years. Egyptian kings--the pharaohs--were powerful figures and rich beyond imagination. They wielded wealth like a weapon, built sprawling cities and commanded huge armies.

Looking forward to flying again!

 

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

One of the benefits of travelling is that I get to fly from time to time. I enjoy flying and am not too bothered if the plane is large or small. It's been a long time since I have flown, so I am looking forward to the opportunity when it comes again.

Once when I was visiting Vancouver, I had the opportunity to fly in a three-seater small plane. It seemed tiny to me. We took off and climbed high above Vancouver, had a quick look over the edge of the Rockies, dipped over downtown Vancouver and returned to the airfield. I enjoyed it, but I was trusting the pilot, the technicians who maintained the plane, air traffic control, and many other people. Events in life are often only safe because people care, prepare and plan things in advance. 

God be with you!

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

The question asked by many people after Christmas is “How did Christmas go?” For the Christian, every day is like Christmas in that God is with us every day. That is the true meaning of “Emmanuel: God with us” and, even better, God is for us; on our side. 

But, remember that God’s Son has another name – Jesus. Every name has a meaning and Jesus means “He will save His people from their sins.” After His resurrection, before returning to His Heavenly Father, Jesus spoke to His disciples with these reassuring words: ”…and, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age”. This is how Matthew ends his gospel. These words offer great comfort to every Christian. Jesus has promised to be with His disciples “even to the end”. Are you living in the good of Christ’s promise? Do you face tough times with the certainty that God is with you throughout? I truly hope so. 

COVID-19 Learning to live by the rules

I have been considering the effects of COVID-19 on our society and on us as individuals. It has become the one issue that affects and influences everything else we do. Sometimes I would just like to get on with my life, but then often things are not that simple. Life is what it is, and we need to make the necessary adjustments and get on with it. All the regular warnings and directions that bombard us can desensitise us and make us feel numb. My wife continually has to remind me to keep my distance when in the shops or on the street. She is a lot more aware of the two-meter rule than I seem to be. All these reminders are a bit like the safety procedures we are given every time we board a flight. We think we could do the routine for the airline staff, but we’d probably struggle as most of us don’t listen as intently as we should. It feels like we are being told the same things repeatedly. Still, at the end of the day, we need to be consistently warned, as we can become complacent very quickly and need to know what to do in case of an emergency.

Coping through Tough Times

We are living in interesting times. The world continues in a state of recession. The season of abundance seems to have come and gone and now the season of recession seems to be entrenching itself. People are finding that times are difficult and the effects of this difficulty seem to be affecting the whole world. Economies are shrinking and jobs are being lost. As I was contemplating these issues, I began to realize that there is a story in the Bible about a similar situation that took place.

Technology - Good or Bad?

In the past I have spoken to young people about technology and social media. Truthfully, the discussion isn't really limited to young people. Apart from a few exceptions most people use technology.

Why did Jesus die?

WHY DID JESUS DIE?

This question is of vital importance because your eternal destiny depends upon your answer to it. Do you know why Jesus died? If not, this article will tell you.

SIN BRINGS DEATH

In God’s Word, the Bible, we learn that death came into the world because of sin. "Wherefore … by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned," Romans 5. 12. "The wages of sin is death," Romans 6. 23. You and I die because we are sinners: "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God," Romans 3. 23.

No hiding place - do you like privacy?

Do you like a bit of privacy? I felt sorry for a famous footballer last year when I saw him, his wife and little one (no clues as to who it was for the sake of privacy) trying to fish for crabs on the Wirral. They did well to remain unobserved for so long. Their backs were to the people who were strolling along the promenade, the buggy was facing the sea, a packet of chips was on the back of the buggy and the only clue of any wealth was the pack of Tesco's Finest pancetta. They were quietly fishing for crabs when someone spotted them. You can imagine what happened next; people were queuing up for a photograph or an autograph and the peace was shattered. It wasn't long until 'the Mrs' decided that it was time to go and they moved on.

How to deal with the fear the unknown!

The fear of the unknown!

Most of us are frightened of the unknown. Maybe you wouldn't used the word frightened but most of us prefer to be sure about what is going on, what is coming next or what to expect in any given situation. 

A friend of mine was asked to come to a clinic in a local hospital to have his eyes checked. His doctor was a bit unsure about his pheriferal vision and wanted it be to be checked out. This referral generated anxiety and stress. I understand exactly how my friend felt as my mother has macular degeneration and finds it very debilitating. 

Fear is a very real emotion. Sometimes our fears are imagined nevertheless the feeling of fear is very real. Other times our fears are justified and we take precautions or prepare ourselves mentally for the worst. There are also times when we are not aware of danger, we have no idea what is going on and so we are blissfully ignorant of what we are facing. It's this last type of fear I want to talk to you about. 

The danger we are unaware of!!

Most people in the 21st century live for the moment. They ignore the bigger issues of life after death, our responsibility for our life choices and day to day decisions and the existence of an almighty God to whom we are answerable. 

Are you aware that we are accountable for every action, every thought, every word, every motive, and every belief we hold? Our maker, God, is the ultimate judge. The Bible describes Him as the Judge of all the earth. Please be assured of this; He will be absolutely fair and just in all the assessments and decisions He makes. Genesis 18:25 states 'Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just'. 

The standard that God judges us against is written in black and white in the Bible. One day God called Moses up Mount Sinai. Over a period of forty days He wrote His law so that Moses could teach his people the standards by which God operates. Until then humanity only had their conscience to judge right and wrong. From that date it was written down! No excuses! When Moses came down from his meeting with the Almighty God he presented the people with a book, the Book of the Law. Since that day the human race has been aware of God's law.

The problem is that we all struggle to live by God's law. We know that it is good. I mean most of us would agree that the principles of loving your neighbour as yourself, not stealing, not lying, no swearing, no sexual sin are all very good for us as individuals and as a society. But if we are honest we all struggle to live up to these standards.

You see God didn't give us His law to make us feel good about ourselves but to prove us guilty. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. Compared to God's law the whole world stands guilty. This is what I mean when I say that we are in danger but we are unaware of it!

I am not writing this blog post just to make you aware that you are a sinner and come short of God's standard. My real purpose is to make you are aware of the danger and then to point you to the solution, the salvation that God has provided in His Son, Jesus Christ. 

As I close here a couple of verses from the Bible that should help. If you are really interested in avoiding the danger of God's judgment then please read and think about these verses (and have a read of some of my previous blog posts as well).

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish it have everlasting life - John 3:16

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - 1 Timothy 1:15

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved - Romans 10:9. 

To access podcasts and videos explaining the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ visit www.seekthetruth.org.uk

This site will give you access to Bible Teaching Audio's and Video's as well.